Senator Romário, the rapporteur of the commission, stated that it is a milestone in the effort to fight for the integrity of sports.
Brazil.- The rapporteur of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on Manipulation of Games and Sports Betting, Senator Romário, will present his final report today at 3 PM. Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, the voting on the 692-page document will take place. Among the measures is the end of betting on isolated events, such as cards and penalty shots, strengthening the enforcement of betting advertising regulations, and the exchange of information from government agencies in the fight against result manipulation.
On the agenda for Tuesday's meeting is also a request asking the Federal Police for information about the international transfer of businessman William Pereira Rogatto. The author of the request, Senator Carlos Portinho, wants to know about the procedures already taken for the businessman's transfer and an estimate of when he will arrive in Brazil.
Rogatto, known as the "king of descent," was arrested by Interpol in early November in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He is suspected of manipulating results in football and championships. Rogatto had already been interrogated by the CPI in October.
The CPI on Sports Betting Manipulation was established in April 2024, with Senator Jorge Kajuru elected as president. The goal of the commission is to investigate facts related to allegations and suspicions of result manipulation in Brazilian football, involving players, managers, and betting companies.
Among the recommendations, Senator Romário proposes sending the documentation produced by the CPI to the Federal Police and the Public Prosecutor's Office to continue the investigations, and to the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA), to assess the convenience and opportunity to limit the types of bets available and eliminate the possibility of betting on isolated events that depend on an athlete, such as receiving yellow and red cards and committing penalties.
The rapporteur recommends that the Ministry of Finance act effectively as a regulatory agent and enforce the rules of advertising and publicity to ensure minimum requirements to protect, especially, the audience under 18 years old.
The senator also proposes the sending of the report to the Ministries of Justice and Sports to seek improvements in the mechanisms and norms for fighting against competition manipulation, as well as to the Ministry of Health, recommending the implementation of a comprehensive awareness program on the risks of gambling addiction.
See also: Blocking illegal platforms in Brazil: Anatel again requested that its powers be expanded
In his conclusions, Senator Romário summarizes: "This report concludes a stage, the initial stage of a work that represents a milestone, an effort so that the fight for the preservation of the integrity of Brazilian football involves the State, sports entities, and civil society. The watchful eyes of society cannot rest."
